5 Podcasts to Stretch Your Bubble, Gain Some Empathy, and Survive This Election

Me and Grandmom, May 1984. I'm so precocious!

One of the legacies my maternal grandmother left was an incredibly diverse family. I don't mean diverse in the way you're probably thinking; in fact, there are some remarkable physical similarities between us. What I mean is that her five children inhabit the entire political and religious spectrum, from very liberal to very conservative, from born again to atheist. It's truly amazing to me that these siblings all came from the same parents and were raised in the same home.

In this season year era of American divisiveness, my family actually gives me hope that we really can all get along. You see, all of these relatives (and there are a lot) are good people who believe strongly, though differently. While not everyone agrees about, well, most issues this election, and certain topics are understood to be off the table at dinner, there's not the visceral hatred of "the other side" I see online or the assumption that "the other side" is dumb. Wrong, yes; stupid, no.

I was talking to a cousin a little bit about this the other night. We had a conversation where she admitted she's "pretty sure [she's] a liberal" and joked that this isn't always taken well. This got me thinking that one of the best ways to be like my mother, aunts, and uncles, is to have a little empathy and respect for everyone, and perhaps especially for the so-called "other side." Expanding our bubbles to learn more about everyone, and, again, especially about those who are different than ourselves, is truly the way to go.

This is not always possible In Real Life, but it is absolutely possible virtually. So I'd like to recommend five podcasts that I listen to partly because they expose me to diverse voices, and partly because they're just good. Podcast listening is a baby step, I admit, but it can be done virtually anywhere, anytime, and with privacy should you want or need it.

These are all available wherever you find your podcasts; I use the podcast app on my iPhone, though there are plenty of other options out there for both Android and iOS.

• Call Your Girlfriend, "a podcast for long distance besties everywhere." It's hosted by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, two funny, smart, often irreverent, and relatable friends and they cover a huge range of topics from periods to politics to Black Lives Matter and Kim Kardashian. 1 episode/week
• Code Switch, from NPR. Conversations about race and identity in America that are definitely worth hearing. They're not always comfortable, but the journalist-hosts are smart, honest, and never condescending. 1 episode/week
• NPR Politics. These are a breath of fresh air in the current political climate. I can count on this podcast to be fair, balanced, truth-telling, and entertaining. The hosts are a rotating band of NPR journalists who provide both facts and analysis. 2+ episodes/week
• #GoodMuslimBadMuslim. Taz and Zahra talk about what it's like to be Muslim in America, and for a non-Muslim, this can be eye-opening. Episodes are always funny and serious and happy and sad and make me think. 1 episode/month
• Working. Slate's Jacob Brogan interviews normal people doing normal jobs and it's fascinating. I've learned about the everyday, working lives of tailors, museum curators, horticulturists, and White House staffers. 1 episode/week

Those are my suggestions. What are yours?

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, friends! I'm in the final days of vacation (back to work on Monday), as is Mr Official Taster. It's also a certain husband's birthday on Sunday! As usual, I'm more excited than he is (he's not that into birthdays. I don't understand). His big birthday present came into our lives last month (a new PS4), so this weekend will be pretty low key. He hasn't mentioned a pcake yet this year, but I also haven't come up with a new and brilliant idea. Yet. Pinterest stalking here I come.

I'm back on the west coast after a nice trip east. I had the chance to see both some friends and some family, as well as avoid the heat wave that was happening out here. One of my favorite couples took me to Chanticleer Garden. For those of you in the Philadelphia region, it's definitely worth a visit. It's yet another estate that's been turned into a public garden, and it's really lovely. It much less informal than places like Longwood or Filoli - they even let you walk on the grass. You can spend the afternoon there, and even picnics are ok.

This week in blogland, I told you to make some Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze and some printable thankful cards.

Meet Monkey! She does not live at Chanticleer, but rather at my friends' house. Monkey is surprisingly amenable to being picked up, though I suspect she's just gotten used to it since she doesn't really have a choice in the matter. I learned that chickens are surprisingly soft!

Onto links!

Depending on what ads you're getting on the sidebar ---> you may see one for Unicef. I encourage you to click on it (or this link), educate yourself, and ultimately donate. I did this week. As a kid, I remember lots of Halloween nights repeating "trick-or-treat for Unicef!" over and over to fill my little orange box with coins and my bag with candy. It was really a win-win. So I decided that it was time to update that childhood tradition. No candy for me, but vaccines administered, clean water provided, food fed, education offered, and disasters relieved for millions of children. Here are 8 photos of 8 things you never knew about how Unicef saves lives.

By now you have probably heard that the Nobel Peace Prize went to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai, who both do really important work. I think it was a stroke of brilliance to split the prize this way, as Malala's fame helps shine a light on Kailash's noble work. Malala was on with John Stewart last year as part of her book tour, and the way she speaks and her courage gave me chills. Go watch - even if it's just the first part, you won't regret it.

Colorado, what are you doing?!

The University of Illinois has put together a comprehensive stain removal guide, which seems like one of those handy bookmarks.

Some community colleges are trying something new - avoiding the dreaded remedial algebra classes in favor of what turn out to be higher level math classes. Students enrolled in these pilot programs have a much greater graduation rate.

A smart op-ed in from The New York Times on the diversity of Islam

In case you didn't fully realize it, what with the pumpkin everything that's out there, some lovely photos of fall color.

In a shameless plug, have you tried my pumpkin chili? There are actual (and delicious) chunks of pumpkin in it.

From The Kitchn, 5 ways to make your jack-o-lantern last longer.

If you're wondering, 7 strange questions that help you find your life purpose.

What children's' breakfasts around the world look like.

How to preserve roasted sweet peppers and herbs in olive oil.

Numi Tea, which I love, is running an Instagram fund-raiser/prize drawing. All you have to do is tag a photo with hashtag #4H2OPE and they donate $1 to @charitywater. (Numi has no idea who I am. I just find their tea delicious)

From the Center for Food Safety, info and an app that helps you avoid GMOs.

It turns out that not only do we have GMOs to worry about, now there is synthetically modified food to sort out.

A splurge or scrimp restaurant edition to help you choose when to go out and when to make your own.

A conversation about the best non-tofu vegetarian meal ideas for the holidays.

Looking for more great reads? Find more editions of weekend reading here. 

Weekend Reading

When this post gets published, I will be high above the country, hopefully sleeping. Scheduled posts can be a great thing! I'm looking forward to spending some time on the east coast, and I'm happy my trip coincides with this heat wave we have going on over here. Seriously, 90+ degrees in October is too much. Mr Official Taster and the puppies are welcome to it.

In blog life, this week I brought you vegan, maple-sweetened Pumpkin Cornbread and linked you over to some picture-perfect homemade vanilla extract labels (and recipe).

Also, YES, I am a total tease with the Instagram this week. #sorrynotsorry

Anyway, I'm not planning on abandoning you fine folks even though I'm on vacation, so check back next week. All the teasing will be over :)

Onto links!

After lots of work, the movement against female genital mutilation is getting the spotlight in the U.K.

Apparently, stress can literally break your heart. (not a sad ending)

Be excited - Book It! is here for adults.

Overnight steel cut oats in jars.

Interesting idea- using anthropologists may be a great way to help combat Ebola.

Latke waffles. YES PLEASE

In case you hadn't heard the Very Exciting News, Netflix is now streaming Gilmore Girls in its entirety. There seems to be a bit of an obsession.

Even when it's legal, abortions can be lethal if there aren't enough medical professionals to serve the community.

Oh, University of Michigan, this is just embarrassing. Did you not think before you wrote?

Weekend Reading

Weekend reading is back! 

Other than that, the big news here is that it rained! Water actually came down from the sky. It wasn't long, and it wasn't much, but it was welcome nonetheless. I fully admit to running outside to smell it and feel it on my face. I went back inside, ate breakfast, and by that time, the rain was done. Sad face. 

I don't really have any exciting weekend plans- how about you? I think we are going to fill our time with exciting things like laundry, cleaning, errands. Sexy stuff. But it's those chores that help make a house a home, don't you think? 

This week on Short & Sweets, I shared my fruit topped citrus olive oil mini muffins (because mini is better), and found you cute labels for your herb and spice jars. (because Friday free printables are also back)

Onto links!

Slow Flowers is a database of florists and farms around the U.S. that offer American, locally grown blooms. With all this beauty, who needs their flowers to fly up from South America?

For those of us still hanging on to summer, cucumber lemonade from the always delicious Smitten Kitchen.

6 crazy GIFs that really show the startling reality of California's drought. (side rant: stop watering your lawns, people!)

Herb-infused whipped cream. hmmm. Interesting!

Do you need some cuteness in your morning? Seth Casteel photographed puppies in a pool. That's right. Underwater puppies learning to swim. They're hard not to smile at.

On growing up.

A list of the best apples for baking.

A handy guide to tofu.

Barnraiser - like Kickstarter, but for farmers. Sounds intriguing.

(vegan) Peach Cardamom Pie with a coconut oil crust. I've been contemplating trying that idea out for a while, so I'm happy to see that Ashlae has figured it out for me

Curried Roasted Eggplant with Smoked Cardamom and Coconut Milk sounds good, even though I don't love eggplant. and it looks really pretty.

From Bon Appetit, an interesting look at what a recipe editor does.

And in a shameless plug, I made some banana bread granola this week, and I'm still in love with it.

Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here.

Peach White-Wine Sangria (and a party)

Just about a year ago, Mr Official Taster and I moved into our very own home. This weekend, we hosted a housewarming party. I'm really glad that we finally did. For one thing, it pushed us into making some repairs/updates that we've been thinking about and putting off for the last year. We got rid of the Ugliest Light Ever, installed a ceiling fan, got a new toilet, and a few other equally sexy jobs. God bless the 70s. I imagine they have been keeping electricians busy since at least the 80s.

Anywho, we decided on an open house format on Saturday afternoon/evening. We encouraged people to come whenever they could for however long they could. We served drinks and snacks and generally kept everything pretty casual. I'm happy with how many people were able to stop by, and it was fun to have so many friends in the same place at once.

We went with just a couple drink options, in order to help keep our sanity and our budget in check. We got a small keg of Fat Tire, and I made iced tea and sangria. Food consisted of snacks like chips, crackers, hummus, guacamole, brownies, and fruit. I laid down butcher paper on top of the sheet tablecloth so I could write on it. I wanted to give people as many answers as possible without them having to come find me, so I labeled some of the dishes. You can see a bit two photos below, but my labels were things like "salsa, gf & vegan" or "brownies, dairy free" or "brown rice & seed chips, gf & vegan."

It took me a bit of research to find a sangria recipe I really wanted to make, but then I remembered (the late, great) Gourmet cookbook. It has everything in it, and I know it to be trustworthy. My requirements were that it was a white wine sangria (less stain-y if spilled) and that it used fruit I could pick up at the farmers' market. Gourmet's Peach White-Wine Sangria both sounded amazing and fit my requirements. Again and again, Gourmet has come through with a fabulous recipe, and its streak continues.

Peach White-Wine Sangria
adapted, barely, from Gourmet Today

I was thrilled with how this sangria turned out, and our guests raved. The basil is unexpected and really makes this recipe stand out from the crowd. Since I can very rarely leave well enough alone, I changed the proportions a bit from the original to make it less sweet. I couldn't find peach nectar, so I used an equal amount of Orange Peach Mango Juice. Feel free to scale this up to fit your party needs! If you're feeling sassy (and you probably are), a bottle of bubbly is a welcome addition.

1 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves plus 8 to 10 sprigs
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
2 (11-ounce) cans peach nectar (see note)
2 (750-ml) bottles chilled dry white wine
1 large peach (peeled if desired), diced

Put basil leaves, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan and bruise leaves by mashing with a wooden spoon. Add 1 can nectar and bring just to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then pour through a medium-mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher, discarding basil leaves. Stir in wine, peach, remaining can nectar, and basil sprigs. Chill, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 24. Serve over ice. pro tip: want to be fancy and keep your drink from getting watered down? Make wine ice cubes! Plain wine doesn't freeze super well, so I filled my ice cube trays about half way with water, then poured in wine to fill them the rest of the way.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend!

This week I yelled at the Supreme Court and shared my Strawberry Margarita Jam, which makes it socially acceptable to have tequila at breakfast. I also wondered if anyone cares to hear about my dehydrating adventures. Let me know if you do! Yesterday I celebrated the fourth by sleeping in, making apricot jam, reading, and walking down the block to watch fireworks. Not a bad day.

Onto links!


If you ever wanted to know how to ride a bike in a dress and maintain your modesty, it turns out all you need is a penny and a rubber band.

Yum! Fresh peach and corn salsa.

Want to support women in leadership roles? Check out this index fund that only includes well-performing companies that are also leaders in terms of supporting women in management. Sallie Krawcheck, one of the founders, says, "Research indicates that companies with more women in
senior management have higher returns on capital, lower volatility, greater client focus, increased innovation and greater long-term orientation. As a result, I believe they should also deliver better stockholder returns over time" I say it's smart.

Strawberry Blood Orange Jam looks spectacular.

A former drug dealer defends liberal arts, and an argument (and crazy amazeballs video) in favor of arts in our schools. Seriously, go watch the video even if you don't feel like reading.

Guys. Magic wand salt and pepper shakers. For reals. I wants.

Making a summery dessert? Try topping it with Earl Grey coconut whipped cream. I think it would be DIVINE on a peach crisp.

All things Hobby Lobby. And what a woman’s choice means to the Supreme Court and social conservatives.

Ten years ago the New York Times printed forty-one wedding announcements, five of which were the first legal same-sex marriages to grace those pages. Last week they followed up with those five couples.


Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here.

Mark your calendar - vote on November 4, 2014

In a stunningly horrible decision made by five mostly white men today, Hobby Lobby and 90% of American businesses can deny contraceptive coverage to their female employees. Yes, the Supreme Court of the United States of America voted against science. The science that says that contraceptives don't cause abortions (yes, even the morning after pill). Shame.

Today's ruling effectively says that women aren't people, but corporations are. No, it's not up to a woman and her doctor to make a healthcare decision. It is up to five old men on the Supreme Court, not one of whom has ever had to worry about their physical, mental, or financial capacity to unintentionally become a parent. Shame.

Furthermore, Hobby Lobby covers vasectomies (and Viagra, obviously) under their insurance plan. Excuse me while I wonder why vasectomies are not considered contraception. Shame.

I see this decision as opening the door to businesses run by Jehovah's Witnesses denying their employees blood transfusions, by Christian Scientists denying vaccinations (or what about denying healthcare coverage at all? some of them don't go to the doctor), or Scientologists denying mental healthcare coverage. Alito said that today's decision only applies to contraception, but saying so isn't the same as making it so. Shame.

And in yet another slap in our faces, Hobby Lobby, a company supposedly so ruled by "Christian" values that they fought about contraception all the way to the Supreme Court, invests in the manufacturers of both contraceptives and drugs that induce miscarriages/abortions. But it's not all about profits, right?

Shame.

Shame on the Supreme Court. We can't vote them out of chambers, but we can vote on the local, state, and federal representatives and senators who do get to vote them in. So, ladies and gentlemen, mark your calendars and choose to vote on November 4, 2014. Vote to keep America from embarrassing itself again. Vote to keep science and faith and church and state separated as they should be. Vote to make your wife, your sister, your mother a person.

5 Vacation Habits to Keep

Last week in Kauai was incredibly relaxing, and I ended the week refreshed, tan for me (i.e. most peoples' normal), and happy. Beyond realizing that I need to take regular breaks, I've also come to the conclusion that there are some routines that I should carry from Paradise to real life. I realize that it's not always going to be possible, and that they are a bit idealized, but I figure it's worth writing them down so I can refer back to them and remind myself of them.

5 Vacation Habits to Keep

1. Less screen time. When we went to Hawaii last week, I planned on spending a lot of time reading. I didn't even bring my computer, and my (spotty service) phone only got checked once or twice a day. I removed Facebook from my phone a few months ago, so really all I did tech wise was to get a few new ebooks for my Kindle, delete emails so I wouldn't come home to hundreds, and look at Instagram once in a while. It was great to ignore the screen, the social media, and the ever-present urge to check and see what's new. I'd love to keep that habit up here. I know it's not possible to be as unconnected as I was, but I think it's a worthwhile goal.
2. Since I'll be spending less time interneting, I can spend more time reading. I've always loved to read, and there's been a clear correlation between more screen time and fewer books. I read a ton last week, and it was a great reminder how much reading is a part of my (good) mental health and general state of relaxation. 
3. Separation of work and not work. This is something I've been working on for a while, but last week I was really able to completely forget about my job and not worry about something late at night. I couldn't do anything about it then, and the same is true now. If I'm not at work, there's pretty much nothing I can do about it. Yes, if I remember something critical I can text someone still at work, but I'd like to have a firm mental separation at night. 
4. Drinking. I'm (mostly) talking about water here. Except for the first night, my feet didn't do their usual cramping routine at night. Beyond all the relaxing-with-my-feet-up time, I'd like to give credit to all the water and iced tea drinking I did in Kauai. 
5. Down time in the morning and evening. Again, this is something I've been working on for a few months, but I've found it really helps me wake up, relax, and fall asleep again to have distinct buffer zones around my waking and sleeping. Just an extra thirty minutes in the morning to have a hot cup of tea and a real breakfast improves my outlook on the day, and some time at night - after dinner and before bed - of relaxing (reading!) helps me fall asleep more quickly. I think I also sleep more soundly. 

I hope to keep these up! What do you do to keep yourself sane and happy?

Kauai 2014 (and where to eat)

hello! I'm back from vacation, and it was wonderful. Mr Official Taster, a couple friends, and I spent a week on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kauai. The husband and I took the lazy, do-nothing approach, but our friends made up for it by hiking every day, snorkeling, and even going on a kayak trip.

Sitting on our lanai (porch), overlooking the ocean with my feet propped up on the railing, and reading was my preferred activity. Maybe sipping some iced tea or chilled wine. It was pretty great. Note: all of today's photos are from my iPhone, but for a few others taken with a grownup camera, check this other post

In case you or a friend visits Kauai, I thought I'd share the few places we found with some good vegan/special diet options. There are lots of places that offer locally raised meat and vegetables, but vegan options are pretty few and far between, unless you stick with salads.

We cooked for ourselves several times, but here are some places where we had good luck:

• Living Foods Market in Koloa. It's small and it's very pricey (even by island standards), but they seem to have good quality fresh food, and they bake bread every morning. They have a small selection of groceries, a coffee bar, a pre-made salad bar (think chicken and potato salads), and a small kitchen that makes pizzas, sweet and savory crepes, breakfast pastries and other light food. They have a few vegan groceries and some gluten free options as well. 
• Kukuiula Store in Koloa. It's pretty much across the street from Living Foods. It's larger and has a consequently larger grocery selection. It seems to have a lot of special diet stuff - I didn't take notes, but I remember seeing Ener-G Egg Replacer, Bob's Red Mill products, vegan cheeses and frozen desserts, and gluten free tortillas. There's also a juice bar in the back. Apparently, their butcher is well liked, and they sell the locally raised, grass-fed beef. I think they have better produce and special diet options than the local Big Save.

• Da Crack. Unfortunate name, but good Mexican food at reasonable prices. It's next door to Kukuiula Store. And anything you order is customizable, so you can avoid problem ingredients. There's no seating - it's just a take out window, but it's fast, fresh, and not a zillion dollars. 
• Merriman's Pizza and Burgers - It's the downstairs, casual, less expensive sister to the upstairs, white tablecloth fish house. They source their ingredients locally, and the menu tells you which farm they came from. They've got a vegan pizza (pretty good) and a portobello burger (didn't try) on the menu, and you can get any pizza on a gluten free crust. 
• Papayas in Kapaa. We didn't get there, but a server at Kauai Island Brewery & Grill recommended it. If we had time, we definitely would have tried it. The brewery was pretty meh in both food and drink. 

Have you visited Kauai? Any food recommendations to share?

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, friends! This is the first weekend in a while that Mr Official Taster and I have no guests to entertain and only the loosest of plans. It's gonna be good. I realized this week that I haven't had a vacation since September, and that that is too long. Besides sleepy, I get what I like to call "sassy." I'm gonna go ahead and call it charming (in small doses). The good news is that in a week the view over my feet will be of surf and sand. I. am. stoked.

What are you up to? Any fun plans?

Onto links!

Maya Angelou passing was noted by the The New York Times, TIME, and in photos by Essence.

On misogyny, entitlement, and nerds.

Unless you have celiac disease, your gluten intolerance is probably in your head.

KQED says that the Bay Area's housing issue can't (all) be blamed on the tech industry.

Why it's a good thing that women say "I don't know." This: "I’m no expert, but I’d call a willingness to mute herself when she doesn’t know what she’s talking about — and the corresponding eagerness to hear from those who do — a desirable trait in a leader."

The scienc-y secrets to baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

The Kitchn's tips to help you throw a less stressful party.

In preparation for the summer, 20 crops that keep and how to store them

Reading Rainbow is coming back! I'm not the only fan. 

I definitely got sucked down the Upworthy rabbit hole this week (and I'm glad I did). Here are some winners:
- on mass murder and masculinity by the very smart Laci Green
- related: on how being told "being a man" is damaging our boys
- the wonderful Patrick Stewart on violence against women and PTSD
- 50+ reasons to be a feminist (I might be a little in love with Laci Green at this point)

A beautifully written post about the armor we women start growing as young girls.

Update 6/1/14: I heard this on the way home from work and just had to include it. There are several interesting interviews, including one with the author of the article linked to above on misogyny, entitlement, and nerds. 

American Ballet Theater's Misty Copeland on body issues.

This week, I posted recipes for Whole Wheat Maple Oatmeal Bread and Small Batch Strawberry Jam. Making a large batch? Tips for efficiently prepping them.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend! I hope you all had a good week. In this little corner of the world, I shared my Sangria Fruit Ice Cream and a round up of recipes for this Memorial Day weekend.

A big congratulations to my sister-in-law, who graduated today with her MBA. Such an accomplishment! Also this weekend, I get to hang out with one of my favorites and her husband, as well as the parents-in-law, who are in town for the big graduation. I spent a good amount of time baking today! We now have fresh bread, strawberry crisp, and some coffee cake in the fridge ready to stick in the oven tomorrow morning.

Besides general hanging out and celebrating, I'm also planning a field trip to Fioli. It's a beautiful estate, which includes gardens and a mansion (I'm remembering three huge, drool-worthy kitchens) to stand in awe of. I'm sure some photos will make it to my Instagram.

What are you up to this weekend?

Onto links!

The New York Times has a drink generator. Choose your style, spirit, and setting and it provides you with an appropriate recipe. Fun!

36 historic photos that have been realistically colored - the process really makes them feel more vibrant and relevant.

National Geographic has a water calculator that helps you see the size of your water footprint. Not eating meat makes a huge difference!

A smart restauranteur responds to customer demand that servers "show some skin."

Red wine and chocolate may not be the magical superfoods that will save and change your life, but I'll keep them on my menu anyway.

Minimalist Baker came up with a way to make cashew-less vegan queso using eggplant.

I had no idea kids as young as 12 work (legally!) in tobacco fields. That needs to stop.

Have you heard of Narratively? They have a theme each week and articles and stories about that theme are posted each day. They are well-written, insightful, and interesting.

On success.

Part 1 and Part 2 of Local Kitchen Blog's series on sugar, the science behind it, and why it might not be the devil.

The most honest RSVP ever.

10 things that people who love their lives are doing differently. I love the point about not answering the "what do you do?" question with a work answer.

Did you know Ruth Reichl has a new book out? I'm next on the waiting list at the library and am itching to get started.

Maple Lemonade with Peaches and Thyme. Yuummmmmmmmmmm

For more great reads, check out all weekend reading posts. 

Oatmeal Rasin Cookies - vegan

The other night, I'm not sure what woke me up first. It could have been the sound of water, or it could have been my husband's loud and sustained cursing. I managed to rouse myself, put on my glasses, turn on the light, and make my way to the closet with the towels before Mr Official Taster started bellowing my name and the word "help!" I honestly don't think he could form full sentences.

If you were to come over to my house, you would walk through the front door into a small entryway. The open, hardwood stairs would be immediately in front of you. Halfway up, they turn 180 degrees on themselves so that the top half of the staircase goes above your head as you stand there in my entryway. At the top of the staircase is a tiny bathroom. 

Do you see where this is going?

Yes, indeed, the toilet overflowed sometime around midnight, and due to it's proximity to the open staircase, said water not only flooded the tiny bathroom, but it also came down and through the stairs. And when it does, boy does it get everywhere. Once we stopped the multi-story waterfall, not only was there a large puddle on the floor of the entryway, but there was water on the walls, the railings, the stairs, our shoes, the leashes, and all the assorted stuff that tends to pile up by your shoes and keys until you get tired of it being there and clean it up. It's cleaned up now.

We used literally every single towel in the house, and when we were done mopping up with them, I started a load of wash before I headed back to bed. Unfortunately, I had trouble falling asleep because it turns out that washing machines use water, and every time the rhythm, cadence, or type of water sound changed, my mind went hyper alert trying to figure out if that was a good water noise or a bad water noise.

Eventually, of course, I was able to fall back asleep. However, Thursday morning was a little rough, and boy was I glad there were cookies for breakfast. 

Oatmeal Rasin Cookies - vegan

We’ve made versions of this both of the last couple of weekends, and if I were you I would skip or dial back the cinnamon if you choose to use chocolate chips so the flavors don’t compete too much. This recipe yields us about 20-25 cookies.

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
3 Tbsp water or nondairy milk
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp nondairy milk
1 C flour (we used white whole wheat)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C quick oats, uncooked
1/2 C raisins or chocolate chips (see note)
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
zest from an orange, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine flax seed and water or milk. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the oil and sugars. Add in the flax seed+water, vanilla, and faux milk and whisk until smooth. Do the same with the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Finally, beat in the oats and zest, if using. If you add chocolate chips or dried fruit at this point, I would fold them in with a spoon rather than a hand mixer or whisk.

Drop cookies two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper or silicon baking mat). To reduce spreading, refrigerate dough or dropped cookies for 15 minutes or so. Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on your preferred crispiness level.

Unbored

You've probably noticed a decline in the frequency of posts over the past couple of months. I've noticed, I've felt guilty, and yet, I didn't have more that I wanted to write or to share. The truth is, I've been bored out of my skull lately with food (and, to be fair, house projects as well). I'm not cooking dishes that excite me or reading recipes that inspire me. I haven't done much food reading, and hardly any of that has made me think, "What if I...instead, and..."

And so, Short & Sweets has languished somewhat, and I've been content to post the occasional muffin cupcake recipe and Weekend Reading. I my real life, I've been knocked over twice since Christmas by very bad colds, interviewed for and won a job I wasn't sure I wanted, and have been immersing myself in The West Wing. I'm finally feeling all the way better, the new position is working out and means I won't be sleep deprived all the time (I hope), and The West Wing is still pretty great and still pretty relevant. And I should probably not fall into it for entire afternoons.

I'm slowly coming out of hibernation, and I hope you'll be patient. I began with Last Night's Dinner. I've started to work my way through a pileup of food and cooking magazines, I'm remembering blogs that inspire me, I'm going back through my archives here and remembering recipes that were so exciting and so delicious that I couldn't wait to share them with you, and I've also been loosely following along with The Kitchn's Cooking Cure. The last item has surprised me. I like going through the steps more than I thought I would, and it's made me think about my meals and plan for them and really look forward to them. So this afternoon, after a morning of Spring cleaning, I'm making a double batch of Romesco Sauce for dinner and leftovers and also Frittata Cups for breakfasts and lunches.

I'm sure others of you out there in cyberspace have had similar phases. What have you done to get over them? What inspires you on a daily or weekly basis to keep cooking? to keep trying new things? to avoid relying on take out? Have any recipes really caught your eye lately and/or turned out really well? Please share them!

Weekend Reading

Happy Sunday, all! This week started with my birthday and is ending tonight with an-unrelated-to-my-birthday pizza party. I know, that makes it sound like a bunch of twelve-year-olds, quarters, and prize tickets, but I can't figure out any other way to say it. It sounds silly to say we're going out to dinner, when, really, we're getting pizza and beer with eleven or twelve closer-to-thirty-than-twelve-year-olds.

Below I've got my usual round up of interesting (to me, anyway) links. Anything you'd like to add? Any pizza or slumber party plans in your future?

Homemade dulce de leche. Need I say more? I received a jar of some made with buffalo milk that I have yet to crack open, mostly because I have issues with wanting to save special things until I figure out the "perfect" use or time, but I've been thinking hard about starting with putting it on a spoon. 

My mom always kept our house less warm than I wanted in the winter, though my friend's decision to keep her home a bracing 55F makes mom's 67F sound tropical. Turns out, being less warm than we'd like is good for our figure.

Earlier this week, I showed you how I painted a door mat for a custom look.

Do you make your own salads at a price per pound salad bar? Someone took the time to figure out what ingredients to choose to keep it light and less expensive, but still filling.

If you gave up booze for January, you'll be glad to know it really does have health benefits.

Again and again, Americans get all freaked out about reversing gender roles. Can we please give Wendy Davis a break? She should be celebrated as a role model, not vilified for going to college/earning money/being a single mom, sometimes/working toward her goals. 

How to make salt preserved lemons. Sounds great, I just need to figure out how to use them. Any suggestions?

Are you on Pinterest? I'd like to suggest you check out two of my boards - Valentine Fun because that's right around the corner, and with silverbells and cockleshells and marigolds all in a row if you need some daydream material

What a great idea for a program- using sport hunters' spoils to supplement local food banks, etc.

An app to to help you design your home. iPad only, but you can virtually decorate and redecorate to your heart's content.

Do you still drink soda? You may want to read about it being a possible carcinogen.

This scallion pancake challah sounds divine.

Another article about the dangers of sitting around at home. This time, it's all about the link between heart failure and sitting.

Finally, I shared this on Facebook earlier this week, but I think it's worth spreading the work. You can now use LinkedIn to post for and search for volunteer opportunities. What a great way of matching people, skills, and need.

Looking for more good reads? Check out all my other Weekend Reading posts here.

Hello again & Weekend Reading

Hi there. It's been a while. Sorry about that. December was hard and then I got sick. Everything's fine, no panicking (Mom, stop fussing, I'm fine), but the worst cold I've had in recent memory just knocked me over right after Christmas and I'm just now starting to feel like a normal human being. I even called out of work more than once, and I spent days alternately sleeping for twelve hours and laying on the couch. But the worst is behind me, I only have cough remnants, and my brain doesn't feel like dryer lint.

So hi. How's it going? What's new out there? I have some posts coming up that I really planned on sharing with you about a month ago, but, well, see above. Anywho, now that I've got my brain back, I've pulled together a list of interesting links from around the interwebs. Please share additional links in the comments!

Interesting article about a series of articles taking a fresh look at GMOs.

Are you a girl who reads? Check out this poet's ode to us. It's kind of awesome.

Cinnamon is known to help lower blood sugar, but apparently one variety is better than the rest

A worrisome and somewhat frightening look at Chinese-grown crops.

One anchor woman's retort to a bully. It's worth watching to see her stand up for herself and for lots of others

Need daydreaming material? Pretty pictures and temptation from The New York Times' list of 52 places to travel this year

Downton Abby returned this week! Take a quiz to see which character you are. I got Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, how about you?

Looking for a new book? Here's a list of 16 books to read before the movie versions appear in theaters this year. I'm not sure I can see The Giver as a movie, though.

Looking for more good reads? Check out all my other Weekend Reading posts here.